The Transport Committee of the National Assembly has begun work on a bill regulating courier services provided through digital platforms and applications. The regulations establish mandatory obligations and requirements for digital messaging companies and deliverers.

The text stipulates that all digital food delivery platforms and messaging operating on national territory must have a physical address where they can receive notifications, as well as adequate personnel and the necessary facilities to ensure operations. The draft, introduced by Congressman Raul Fernandez de Marco (Independent Party), establishes basic requirements to ensure the health and safety of food delivered through the new platforms.

The main obligations for digital courier companies are as follows:

• Digital messaging companies operating in the national territory must have copies of documentation from distributors providing the service: identity card or document, driver’s license, insurance and vehicle ownership documents.
• In addition, food delivery companies must have a copy of their distributor’s health card.
• Companies must provide personal protection and safety equipment for bicycle, motorcycle and automobile drivers.
• Digital courier companies must have the requisite insurance policies to cover first aid expenses incurred in the event of any accidents befalling their distributors.
• Companies providing food services must ensure that all food shipped to the delivery companies of the digital messaging companies is protected by a security seal or adhesive paper, as a customer guarantee that the product has not been altered.
• Companies will be liable to anyone affected by any of their deliverers in the event of accidents, and will also be liable for cases where products delivered to the end customer do not meet the quality standards expected.

Other relevant points established by the norm are:

• Distributors must keep up-to-date driver’s licenses and health cards. In addition, they must undergo regular medical examinations, maintain their transport equipment in good condition and have third-party damage insurance.
• The regulation and standardization of courier services will be the responsibility of the Transit and Land Transportation Authority (ATTT, for its acronym in Spanish), the Ministry of Labor (MITRADEL, for its acronym in Spanish), the National Immigration Service and the General Directorate of Revenues, as well as the Ministry of Health (MINSA, for its acronym in Spanish), which will regulate companies that transport food.